Skilled Wages

Sheet metal worker salary in Louisiana

Median $24.19 an hour for 1,080 sheet metal workers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$24.19/hrMedian hourly wageLouisiana, May data
$50,320/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$16.66 – $37.4010th to 90th percentilehourly range
1,080Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

Sheet metal worker pay in Louisiana: the full range

Wage percentiles, LouisianaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrLouisiana: 10th $16.66 · 25th $17.86 · median $24.19 · 75th $29.45 · 90th $37.40Louisiana$24.19$16.66$37.40United States: 10th $18.57 · 25th $22.99 · median $29.71 · 75th $39.24 · 90th $50.79United States$29.71
Hourly wage percentiles for sheet metal workers: Louisiana vs United States, May 2025.

Louisiana ranks 41st of 50 states for median sheet metal worker pay, and 37th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $27.43). 1,080 sheet metal workers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$16.66 – $17.86$34,650 – $37,150roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$17.86 – $29.45$37,150 – $61,250the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$29.45 – $37.40$61,250 – $77,790the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Sheet metal worker pay by metro in Louisiana

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrShreveport: $27.32Shreveport$27.32Lake Charles: $26.72Lake Charles$26.72Houma: $26.17Houma$26.17Baton Rouge: $25.36Baton Rouge$25.36Lafayette: $25.04Lafayette$25.04New Orleans: $22.61New Orleans$22.61
Median hourly wage for sheet metal workers by metro area in Louisiana, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Shreveport$16.66$27.32$38.1311013% above
Lake Charles$17.01$26.72$45.918010% above
Houma$16.30$26.17$37.60308% above
Baton Rouge$17.57$25.36$35.102505% above
Lafayette$16.23$25.04$42.911004% above
New Orleans$17.74$22.61$35.833107% below

Sheet metal worker wages in Louisiana over time

Louisiana, 1999-2025LouisianaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$0$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$29.71United States$24.19Louisiana
Median hourly wage for sheet metal workers, Louisiana vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearLouisiana $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$11.74$22.69$14.093,570
2000$12.34$23.07$15.312,890
2001$12.97$23.58$15.972,310
2002$13.53$24.21$16.622,110
2003$14.04$24.57$16.832,150
2004$14.61$24.90$17.091,920
2005$15.13$24.94$17.501,710
2006$15.23$24.32$17.962,010
2007$16.37$25.42$18.852,090
2008$16.45$24.60$19.372,480
2009$16.67$25.02$19.542,200
2010$17.27$25.50$20.051,660
2011$18.75$26.84$20.551,370
2012$19.58$27.46$20.811,450
2013$19.36$26.76$21.101,670
2014$18.69$25.42$21.671,480
2015$18.95$25.74$21.991,300
2016$18.58$24.92$22.571,040
2017$19.09$25.07$23.07960
2018$21.09$27.04$23.301,480
2019$21.88$27.55$24.231,790
2020$21.96$27.32$24.701,680
2021$20.27$24.08$25.691,250
2022$19.28$21.21$26.611,060
2023$21.73$22.96$28.261,150
2024$26.38$27.07$29.26880
2025$24.19$24.19$29.711,080

In today's dollars, the median sheet metal worker wage in Louisiana changed by -6.0% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for sheet metal workers in Louisiana

On federally funded construction in Louisiana, contractors must pay sheet metal workers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 25 of the 64 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $44.58 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $32.63). 39 of the 64 counties still use a survey rate dated 2014 or earlier (for example Allen County at $35.27). The market median for the state is $24.19.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, LAAcadia: $44.58 (union)Allen: $35.27 (survey)Ascension: $44.58 (union)Assumption: $35.27 (survey)Avoyelles: $35.27 (survey)Beauregard: $35.27 (survey)Bienville: $32.63 (survey)Bossier: $40.38 (union)Caddo: $40.38 (union)Calcasieu: $40.38 (union)Caldwell: $32.63 (survey)Cameron: $40.38 (union)Catahoula: $32.63 (survey)Claiborne: $32.63 (survey)Concordia: $32.63 (survey)De Soto: $40.38 (union)East Baton Rouge: $44.58 (union)East Carroll: $32.63 (survey)East Feliciana: $44.58 (union)Evangeline: $35.27 (survey)Franklin: $32.63 (survey)Grant: $40.38 (union)Iberia: $44.58 (union)Iberville: $44.58 (union)Jackson: $32.63 (survey)Jefferson: $20.66 (survey)Jefferson Davis: $35.27 (survey)Lafayette: $44.58 (union)Lafourche: $20.66 (survey)LaSalle: $32.63 (survey)Lincoln: $32.63 (survey)Livingston: $44.58 (union)Madison: $32.63 (survey)Morehouse: $32.63 (survey)Natchitoches: $32.63 (survey)Orleans: $38.64 (union)Ouachita: $40.38 (union)Plaquemines: $20.66 (survey)Pointe Coupee: $44.58 (union)Rapides: $40.38 (union)Red River: $32.63 (survey)Richland: $32.63 (survey)Sabine: $32.63 (survey)St. Bernard: $20.66 (survey)St. Charles: $20.66 (survey)St. Helena: $44.58 (union)St. James: $20.66 (survey)St. John the Baptist: $20.66 (survey)St. Landry: $35.27 (survey)St. Martin: $44.58 (union)St. Mary: $35.27 (survey)St. Tammany: $20.66 (survey)Tangipahoa: $20.66 (survey)Tensas: $32.63 (survey)Terrebonne: $20.66 (survey)Union: $40.38 (union)Vermilion: $44.58 (union)Vernon: $34.70 (survey)Washington: $35.27 (survey)Webster: $40.38 (union)West Baton Rouge: $44.58 (union)West Carroll: $32.63 (survey)West Feliciana: $44.58 (union)Winn: $32.63 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$32.63$35.27survey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for sheet metal workers by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (union)Prevailing (survey)$10$20$30$40$50/hrAcadia (Lafayette): market median $25.04, prevailing (union) $44.58, gap +$19.54Acadia (Lafayette)+$19.54Ascension (Baton Rouge): market median $25.36, prevailing (union) $44.58, gap +$19.22Ascension (Baton Rouge)+$19.22Grant (Louisiana): market median $24.19, prevailing (union) $40.38, gap +$16.19Grant (Louisiana)+$16.19Orleans (New Orleans): market median $22.61, prevailing (union) $38.64, gap +$16.03Orleans (New Orleans)+$16.03Calcasieu (Lake Charles): market median $26.72, prevailing (union) $40.38, gap +$13.66Calcasieu (Lake Charles)+$13.66Bossier (Shreveport): market median $27.32, prevailing (union) $40.38, gap +$13.06Bossier (Shreveport)+$13.06Lafourche (Houma): market median $26.17, prevailing (survey) $20.66, gap −$5.51Lafourche (Houma)−$5.51
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for sheet metal workers, metro counties in Louisiana.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AcadiaUnion SHEE0214-011 2024-01-01$30.38$14.20$44.58LA20260029
AscensionUnion SHEE0214-011 2024-01-01$30.38$14.20$44.58LA20260049
East Baton RougeUnion SHEE0214-011 2024-01-01$30.38$14.20$44.58LA20260035
East FelicianaUnion SHEE0214-011 2024-01-01$30.38$14.20$44.58LA20260050
IberiaUnion SHEE0214-011 2024-01-01$30.38$14.20$44.58LA20260036
IbervilleUnion SHEE0214-011 2024-01-01$30.38$14.20$44.58LA20260037
LafayetteUnion SHEE0214-011 2024-01-01$30.38$14.20$44.58LA20260039
LivingstonUnion SHEE0214-011 2024-01-01$30.38$14.20$44.58LA20260050
Pointe CoupeeUnion SHEE0214-011 2024-01-01$30.38$14.20$44.58LA20260050
St. HelenaUnion SHEE0214-011 2024-01-01$30.38$14.20$44.58LA20260049
St. MartinUnion SHEE0214-011 2024-01-01$30.38$14.20$44.58LA20260053
VermilionUnion SHEE0214-011 2024-01-01$30.38$14.20$44.58LA20260053
West Baton RougeUnion SHEE0214-011 2024-01-01$30.38$14.20$44.58LA20260050
West FelicianaUnion SHEE0214-011 2024-01-01$30.38$14.20$44.58LA20260050
BossierUnion SHEE0214-013 2017-09-01$26.19$14.19$40.38LA20260030

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Louisiana prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Louisiana?

152.6kConstruction jobsLouisiana, 2026-08
+12.6%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202680k100k120k140k160k180k19901995200020052010201520202025153kAug 2026
Construction employment in Louisiana (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Contractor pay by county

Average pay at plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors establishments by county (all employees, not just sheet metal workers), from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.

CountyEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Orleans Parish475$308,951$5,941
Grant Parish113$90,769$1,746
Iberville Parish100$84,552$1,626
Jackson Parish16$72,470$1,394
East Baton Rouge Parish2,017$71,452$1,374
Webster Parish84$70,126$1,349
Jefferson Parish2,598$68,997$1,327
Caddo Parish1,288$65,766$1,265
St. Tammany Parish1,038$64,644$1,243
Lafayette Parish1,181$61,969$1,192
Jefferson Davis Parish80$61,505$1,183
Tangipahoa Parish441$60,971$1,173

Keep comparing

Sheet metal worker pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Louisiana

Questions this page answers

How much do sheet metal workers make in Louisiana?

The median sheet metal worker in Louisiana earned $24.19 an hour ($50,320 a year) in May 2025, 19% below the national median of $29.71. The middle half earn $17.86–$29.45; the top 10% earn more than $37.40.

Where does Louisiana rank for sheet metal worker pay?

Louisiana ranks 41st of 50 states for sheet metal worker pay, with a median of $24.19 an hour, and 37th after adjusting for Louisiana's cost of living (BEA price parity 88.2, US = 100).

What is the union sheet metal worker rate in Louisiana?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for sheet metal workers in 25 counties, with a typical package of $44.58 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many sheet metal workers work in Louisiana?

BLS counted 1,080 sheet metal workers in Louisiana in May 2025, 0.6 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.72; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Louisiana and metro areas, SOC 47-2211.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.